The given scenario in the question refers to serious challenges to the safety of patient data. Being a security officer I would refer to the policies of the hospital and relevant regulatory frameworks including HIPAA. I would use the skills of IT experts to improve data security. The tracking of changes in data of patients is not difficult. To improve the process, I would only allow authorized persons to access the database of patients. I would ask the management to limit the number of employees who can make changes to the data of patients. All the staff who use the database of patients should have their secure login and passwords. I would ask them not to share their credentials. With the help of IT staff, I would enable the system to automatically track all the changes that are made in the database. In this way, I can easily track changes in the system along with the name of the person who first entered the information of patients.
The reporting of data security breaches is critical to take remedial measures. I would consult all the stakeholders before making a policy. According to experts, the participation of end-users is necessary (McConigle & Mastrian, 2017, p 256). I would introduce a whistle-blower policy in the hospital. Due to this policy, nurses would find it difficult to hide data breaches, especially for high-profile patients. I would ensure compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks including, HIPAA. I would incorporate policies from the international best practices regarding patient privacy.
The violation of the policy of the organization would be considered a serious crime. I would formulate strict sanctions for it. I would penalize the staff according to the intensity of the violations. In the sanctions, both monetary and non-monetary penalties would be included, fines and transfers. The most severe sanctions would be terminated from employment and reporting to the police.
The safety of patient data is indeed critical. The IT might help track changes in the records of patients. I would incorporate the best international practices to encourage nurses to report data breaches. The sanction for violation of policy includes both financial and non-financial penalties.
References
Mcgonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2018). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed., p.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
